Clifford Fragua is a sculptor and stone carver.  Fragua was born and raised on Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico.  He is an enrolled member of the tribe. He began studying sculpture at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM.  He transferred to the San Francisco Art Institute. Following this, he attended a stone workshop in Pietrasanta, Italy, where he studied stone carving.

 

His work is based on Native American themes and shows pride for his culture and a deep understanding of the inherent spirituality of the stone.

 

He is the only Native American to have work in Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol building in Washington, DC.  It is the second of works representing New Mexico and the 100th and last of these works to be added.  The sculpture is of Po'pay, a Tewa religious leader from Ohkay Owingeh.  Po’pay lead the Pueblo Revolt in 1680 against Spanish colonial rule in what is now New Mexico.

 

Fragua traveled to Blount County, Tennessee to hand select a pink marble block from the quarry for the “Po'pay” sculpture. In 2005, the 10-foot-tall Tennessee marble piece was installed.

 

Fragua owns and operates Singing Stone Studio in Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico.